Comb-cleaner.



l R. J. OLEARY. COMB CLEANER.

APPLICATION man ferm. 19u.

1,280,821. Patented 001;. 8, 1918,

` To all whom #may concern.'

frngp vsrafins PATENT @EP-FLOR RICHARDJ. OLEARY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.v l

Be it known that I, RICHARD J OLEARY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of VMCook' and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Comb-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification,

The invention relates to a device adapted to be used in cleaning the teeth of toilet combs which are ordinarily made of some compound of which rubber forms the chief ingredient, or combs made of bone, metal or other materials. It is a well known fact that on account of the peculiar construction of toilet combs, due to the close association of the teeth, there is a tendency for foreign materials to gather in the interstices or spaces between the teeth, and the removal of such foreign materials has been a rather tedious and difficult process, as such foreign materials resist the action of water and other cleansing fluids, so that it is generally necessary to insert some instrument between the teeth to scrape and positively remove accumulations in cleaning the comb.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a small inexpensive instrument that may be readily inserted between the teeth ef the comb and quickly and effectively remove accumulations from the adjacent inner surfaces of the teeth.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification descriptive of my invention, and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a view of a Comb cleaner embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the form of the device of Fig. 1 with parts' including the handle removed or broken away.

Fig. 3 is an illustrative View showing the manner in which the invention is applied to the teeth of a toilet comb during the operation of cleaning the same.

Referring to the drawings the reference character 10 designates a plurality of thin metallic members spaced apart about the ordinary distance between the teeth of a comb. The metallic pieces 10 are preferably of spring steel sometimes termed clock spring steel which is preferably made quite thin and ordinarily not much thicker than Specification of Letters Ilatent.

' scribed.

. Iatented Oct. 8, 191.8.

Application Vfiled February 9, 1917. Serial No. 147,587.

the thickness Vof .well calenderedwriting paper, inorder tliatthe edgesof these spring steel members may be sharp enough'to cut foreign materials on the inside edges of the teeth -of the comb and scrapethe teeth like the edge Vof a knife blade to remove the accumulations therefrom in the manner de- 'Ihe cleaner blades 10 are inserted between suitable spacing plates, designated by the reference character 13, and the plate 13a at the middle of the cleaner blades is extended so that it provides a shank, as indicated in Fig. 1, to be inserted into a handle member 14 which may be formed of any suitable material as bone, Celluloid, wood or metal.

The manner in which the device shall be applied to the teeth of the toilet comb, for cleaning purposes, will be apparent from the fragmentary view of the comb in Fig. 3, from which it will be seen that cleaner blades 10 of the device are inserted in the interstices between the comb teeth. and the edges of the cleaner blades are then caused to engage the sides of the comb teeth and have lines shown in Fig. 3, which latter are designated by the reference character 10". Obviously, the operation of inserting the cleaning blades between the teeth of the comb and giving the same a twist, causes the edges of the blades to scrape the contiguous surfaces Of the teeth and then pulling the blades outwardly. which operation will be continued until the operation of cleaning has been satisfactorily completed. Obviously, the device has the merit of being cheap to construct, is effective in its mode of operation, and when applied in the manner indicated, will clean or scrape all foreign materials from the interstices between the comb teeth, and will thoroughly scrape the contiguous surfaces between the teeth of the comb. After the device is used in the manner indicated, any foreign material, if not completelv removed from the comb, will be found adhering to exposed surfaces of the comb teeth or comb back, and bv the application of a cleansing fluid or a cloth, or both, the operation of thoroughly cleansing the comb will be completed.

I claim:

l. In a cleaner for combs, the combination of a plurality of flexible metallicV blades formed of clock spring steel, a plurality of plates arranged between said blades and being adapted to holdthem in spaced relation, one of said plates being provided with an extension or shank, a locking pin passing through registering openings in said blades and said spacing plates, and a handle mem-v ber for manipulating the device being at-k tached to the said device by insertion over the shank of the said elongated spacing plate.

2. In a cleaner for combs, thecombination of a plurality of flexible metallic blades formed of clock spring steel, aY plurality of w platesv arrangedY between said blades and being adapted t hold themin spacedV relation, one of said plates being provided with an extension or shank, locking pins passing through registering' openings in said blades and said spacing plates, and a handle member for manipulating the device being attached to the said device by insertion over the shank of the said elongated spacing plate.

.In testimony whereof I'have signed my name to this specilicatiomin'the presence of a subscribing witness, on this 6th day ofv February, A.

e RICHARD J.

oLEARY. Witness Y ARTHUR L. SPRINKLE.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for live cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washingtom. 0. i 

